Current digital phase array systems can cost upwards of $10,000 per channel. Design choice decisions often include balancing trade-offs between size, weight and power (SWaP) and performance, among other things. Field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices are used to provide advantages for digital-based functions. Further, available designs often include Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC) that are separate from the FPGA, as FPGAs have limited functions when it comes to analog capabilities. This results in numerous external multiple bit ADCs connecting with the FPGA. These systems also tend to require numerous analog components such as filters, mixers, amplifiers, and the like, thereby increasing SWaP concerns.
Additionally, certain phase array systems, such as phased array radar (PAR), many RX/TX elements are employed to form beams. These systems are typically made up of heterogeneous submodules. The integration of all these components together in a small form factor for a low cost is a challenge. Fully digital PAR programs can cost many millions of dollars and optimal SWaP modules capable of wide bandwidths (e.g. ESM modes) are not available.